Carton assemblage having localized attachment



c3A J. PARKS 3,017,067

CARTON ASSEMBLAGE HAVING LOCALIZED ATTACHMENT Jan. 16, 1962 Filed April'7, 1958 3,017,067 CARTON ASSEMBLAGE HAVING LOCALEZED ATTACHMENT George.L Parks, Menomonee Fails, Wis., assignor to Milprint Inc., Milwaukee,Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 726,924 2Claims. (Cl. 229-48) The invention relates generally to improvements inthe art of carton production, and it relates more specifically toimprovements in the construction of carton blanks and in the mode ofassembling the same in carton formation.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcarton which can be readily assembled to produce a durable structurehaving localized attaching areas.

ln the packaging industry, paper or cardboard cartons are frequentlyformed of blanks adapted to be folded into box-like formation and tohave cooperating flap or wall portions adhesively united to produce theassembled carton structures. The adhesive is ordinarily applied in stripformation along one of the cooperable blank portions which arethereafter pressed together to complete the union, and in order toinsure a firm` and permanent connection it requires the application of arather heavy layer of the adhesive, excess quantities of which are oftensqueezed out and spread laterally considerably beyond the sides of theoriginal strip width, thus producing messy joints and wasting adhesivematerial. The use of such excessive quantities of liquid adhesive ishowever necessary especially in cases where the cartons are formed ofwax-coated paperboard stock which requires the removal of the Wax at theareas which are to be glued together in order to insure completepenetration of the adhesive into the body of the board and to permitenough to remain so as to produce a strong final bond. But such usage ofexcess adhesive has heretofore resulted in the production of messyassembled cartons and required intricate adjustments of the mechanism,when the assembly was effected with standard box forming equipment suchas normally utilized. Then too, it is desirable when producing adhesivebonds, to subject the adhesive to the ambient atmosphere in order toenhance drying thereof.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to providesimple but effective instrumentalities for obviating this adhesivespreading and wasting difficulty especially when assembling paper orcardboard blanks into carton or box formation.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improvedmode of conning adhesive to predetermined areas while also facilitatingthe drying of adhesive joints in cardboard carton assemblages, bypreventing total surface contact of the adjacent glue flaps andsimultaneously providing air access spaces adjoining the zones which areglued together, thus reducing the adhesive drying time to a minimum.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide animproved carton assemblage formed of a wax-coated cardboard blank,wherein overlapping portions of the assembled blank may be mosteffectively and firmly bonded together along local areas from which thewax has been eliminated.

Still another important object of my invention is to provide an improvedpaperboard carton formed of a blank having overlappable adhesivelyunited portions or aps, and wherein the united areas of the assembledblank lare segregated from adjacent surfaces `by a bounding ridge orridges capable of preventing excess adhesive from spreading to such anadjacent surfaces when external sealing pressure is applied to theoverlapped portions or flaps.

An additional important object of this invention is to nited StatesPatent ice i rovide an improved cardboard carton blank adapted to beformed and adhesively assembled into box-like forma,- tion with.standard carton constructing machinery, and without necessity of makingtedious and ltime consuming adjustments in the equipment in order toproduce durable assembly joints while avoiding messy spreading and wasteof adhesive. v

These and other more specific objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the features constituting the present improvement,and of the construction and mode of assembling several different typesof the improved cartons, may be had Aby referring to the drawing accom.-panying and forming a part of this specification wherein like referencecharacters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

FIG. l is a fragmentary plan View of one type of paperboard blankprovided with foldable assembly flaps at its opposite ends adapted to beoverlapped and adhesively united when assembling the carton;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the adhesive coated endflap of theblank of FIG. 1, the section having been taken along the line2-2.;

FIG. 3 is a sectional fragment of the same blank partially assembled andshowing the assembly iiaps about to be adhesively united;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section similar to that of FIG. 3 but showingthe assembly flaps finally glued together;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of yanother type of paperboard `blankalso provided with foldable and overlappable assembly flaps at itsopposite ends but having the adhesive applied in a different manner thanin FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse section through the end flap of theblank shown in FIG. 5 which is initially devoid of adhesive, the sectionhaving been taken along the line 6 6;

FIG. 7 is a sectional fragment of the blank of FIGS. 5 and 6, showingthe modified blank partially assembled as in FIG. 3, and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section similar to that of FIG. 7 but showingthe assembly flaps of the modified structure finally glued together.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as having beenembodied in or applied. to assembly aps formed at the opposite extremeends of wax-coated blanks and foldable relative to the blank bodiesalong score lines, it is not intended to restrict its application tosuch blanks; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive termsemployed herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistentwith the actual disclosure.

Referring specifically to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS.1 to 4 inclusive, the carton blank comprises in general a unitary sheetof cardboard scored along lines 10 to provide a pair of body portions11, 12 foldably interconnected by an intermediate wall 13 and eachhaving likewise foldable side aps 14, While the body portion 11 has aplane end ttiap 15 and the other body portion 12 has a longitudinallyridged end iiap 16 foldably connected therewith, the parallel ridges 117on the iiap 16 providing an elongated intervening depressed area coveredwith a strip or layer of adhesive 18.

The carton blank may be of any selected size or shape capable ofproducing the desired boX when finally assembled, and the paperboardstock utilized in these blanks is frequently coated with wax which mustbe removed from the areas with which the adhesive finally coacts beforesuch adhesive is applied. When the wax is thus locally removed, thedewaxed surfaces of the cardboard are in relatively porous conditioncapable of absorbing liquid such as fluent glue, so that it is necessaryto apply a rather heavy or thick layer of adhesive 18 in order tofinally leave enough adhesive to insure firm final adhesion throughoutthe united areas.

If the relatively thick layer of adhesive 18 which is applied to thearea of the flap 16 between the ridges 17 of the carton blank, is inexcess of the amount absorbed by the cardboard stock plus the amountrequired to produce a strong and firm attachment to the overlapped flapwhen the latter is finally pressed against this layer during assembly ofthe box, then the excess glue will naturally spread laterally toward theridges 17. These ridges 17 should therefore be formed of sufiicientheight so as to clearly define the elongated depressed area ofattachment and to receive and retain any excess adhesive 18 which mightbe squeezed out laterally during the final bonding operation; and theridges 17 should also be of sufficient height to provide air spacesadjacent to the bonded areas which will aid in rapid drying of the glue.

Referring specifically to the modified embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8 inclusive, here the carton blank is similarin general shape to that shown in FIG. l, and comprises a unitary sheetof cardboard scored along lines 20l to provide a pair of body portions21, 22 foldably interconnected by an intermediate wall 23 and eachhaving likewise foldable side fiaps 24, while the body portion 21 has alongitudinally recessed ap 25 pro vided with elongated parallel ridges26 and the other body portion 22 has a plane fiap 27 provided with astrip or elongated layer of adhesive 28, foldabily connected therewith.

This embodiment therefore differs from that shown in FIGS. 1 to 4inclusive, by having the strip of adhesive 28 initially applied to theplane ap 27, while the area of the other flap 25 between the ridges 26is devoid of adhesive until the fiaps 25, 27 have been united, as inFIG. 8. However, in both embodiments the Zone of application of theadhesive is segregated from the adjacent surfaces of the united flaps,by the relatively high ridges forming depressed areas which not onlyserve to catch excessive glue when these flaps are pressed against eachother but also provide extensive air gaps adjacent to the bonding areaswhich hasten the drying of the adhesive. Both types of cartons can alsobe assembled and glued in a well-known manner with the aid of standardassembly equipment and without necessitating tedious and time consumingadjustments, and both embodiments result in the production of clean butexceedingly strong glued joints.

From the foregoing detailed description it should be apparent that thepresent invention in fact provides an irnproved carton assemblageshaving local areas adapte-d to be adhesively firmly united in a rapidand effective manner. The ridges which segregate the attaching areasfrom the adjacent surfaces of the stock may be formed either incooperating flaps as shown or in other cooperating portions of theblanks, in any suitable manner; and should be of sufficient height toprovide recessed areas of sufiicient size to retain the excess glue andto also produce adjacent extensive air spaces for hastening drying ofthe adhesive. The glue may also be applied to the blanks either influent layer form or as solidified strips adapted to be liquefied oy theapplication of heat when the attachment areas are iinally pressedtogether. While the invention has special utility when applied tocartons formed of wax-coated paperboard blanks, it may also beadvantageously applied to other types of cartons.

It has been found that the lanes formed by the parallel ridges may beutilized by the operator of the gluing equipment as a guide for insuringapplication of the adhesive to proper areas of the carton blanks, andany number of these ridges may be applied to cooperable portions of eachblank so as to provide one or more of these gluing lanes depending uponthe strength of final carton assemblage required. When gluing is to beeffected along the extreme edges of a pair of overlapped portions of theblank, it is only necessary to provide one ridge extending parallel toone of these edges, in an obvious manner; and the use of the segregatingridges makes it possible to obtain a perfect'bond on de-waxed cartonsurfaces without experiencing the difficulties heretofore encounteredwith respect to over-supply of adhesive and critical machine adjustmentswhich heretofore resulted in excessive scrapping of cartons due tosqueeze-out of glue.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction of the cartons herein specificallyshown and described by way of illustration, since various modificationswithin the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled inthe art.

I claim:

l. In a carton assemblage, a paperboard blank having a pair ofoverlappable elongated edge portions adapted to be adhesively united,one of said edge portions having thereon parallel ridges forming anintervening longitudinally unobstructed open ended valley of uniformdepth between the overlapped edge portions extending throughout theirentire lengths and the other edge portion having thereon a relativelyfiat surface adapted to cover said valley and to sealingly engage saidridges when said edge portions are overlapped, and a layer of glue ofapproximately the san-ie thickness as the valley depth initially appliedto one of said edge portions and confined entirely within said valleyduring overlapping of the edge portions to substantially fill saidvalley and adhesively unite said portions upon application of externalpressure to the intervening glue confining area, said ridges being ofsufficient :height to prevent escape of glue thereover -to local areasbeyond the valley and to maintain air confining glue drying spaceswithin said local areas while the open valley ends allow excess glue toescape `during said pressure application.

2. In a carton assemblage, a paperboard blank having a pair ofoverlappable elongated edge portions adapted to be glued together, oneof said edge portions having thereon parallel ridges forming anintervening longitudinally unobstructed open ended valley of uniformdepth between the overlapped edge portions extending throughout theirentire lengths and the other edge portion having thereon a relativelyhat surface adapted to cover said valley and to sealingly engage saidridges when said edge portions are overlapped, and a layer of glue ofapproximately the same thickness as the valley depth initially appliedto said ridged edge portion entirely within the valley to substantiallyfill the latter during overlapping of the edge portions and adhesivelyuniting said portions upon application of external pressure to theintervening glue confining area, said ridges being of suicient height toprevent escape of glue thereacross to local areas beyond the valley andto maintain air confining glue drying spaces adjoining the ridges withinsaid local areas while the open valley ends allow excess glue to escapeduring said pressure application.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS i2,259,822 Kienlen Oct. 21, 1941 2,338,749 Wilbur Ian. 11, 1944 2,723,936Ryan Nov. 15, 1955 2,760,713 Andrews Aug. 28, 1956 2,814,428 Magill Nov..26, 1957

